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Down Periscope
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Wikipedia article
'Down Periscope' is a 1996 American military comedy submarine film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Robert Lawrence and directed by David S. Ward, that stars Kelsey Grammer, Lauren Holly, and Rob Schneider. The film co-stars Bruce Dern, Harry Dean Stanton, William H. Macy, and Rip Torn.
Lieutenant Commander Thomas Dodge fights to save his naval career after being saddled with a group of misfit seamen. They have been brought together as the crew of Dodge's first command, USS 'Stingray', a rusty, obsolete World War II-era diesel submarine. The submarine is the focus a special naval war game, supervised by a bitter rival who is fighting to bury Dodge's career by any means.
Plot
Lt. Commander Thomas Dodge is being considered for a third time to captain a submarine. He has been previously passed over because of his unorthodox command methods that include a "brushing" incident with a Russian submarine and a genital tattoo that he acquired afterward while drunk on shore leave. Another denial will result in Dodge's being dropped from the Navy's submarine command program. Rear Admiral Yancy Graham, who dislikes Dodge, speaks out against Dodge's promotion.
Vice Admiral Dean Winslow, Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic, likes Dodge and his unorthodox methods. He selects him to participate in a war game to test the Navy's defenses against attack from diesel-powered submarines. Russia has been selling off their diesel fleet to America's adversaries, so Dodge is given command of the World War II-era diesel-powered submarine, USS 'Stingray'. His orders are to "invade" Charleston harbor without being detected, and if successful, to sink a dummy warship in Norfolk harbor with two live torpedoes. While reluctant to participate, Dodge offers Winslow a wager: If he successfully completes both tasks, Winslow will give him a nuclear submarine to command. The admiral agrees to seriously consider it, while also telling Dodge to "think like a pirate" during the exercise.
Graham, boasting that he has never lost a war game, handpicks "the crew from hell" for 'Stingray': hot-tempered, uptight Lt. Martin Pascal as the executive officer; crusty civilian naval contractor Howard as the Chief Engineer; rebellious Engineman 1st Class Brad Stepanek; ultra sharp-eared Sonarman 2nd Class E.T. "Sonar" Lovacelli; compulsive gambler Seaman Stanley "Spots" Sylvesterson; former losing college basketball player Seaman Jefferson "Stoneball" Jackson; shock-addled Electrician's Mate Nitro; and not-so-Culinary Specialist Second Class Buckman, as 'Stingray's cook. Lt. Emily Lake is assigned by Graham to serve as the sub's Diving Officer, part of a "special program" to see if women can successfully serve aboard submarines.
Using a storm off the Carolina coast as a diversion, Dodge and his crew take full advantage of the gale. They use deception to sneak into Charleston Harbor and set off signal flares. Upset at losing the first part of the war game, Graham reduces the game's containment area by half without Winslow's authorization. Dodge leaves the containment area and heads out to sea, cutting off all contact with the Navy. Pascal openly accuses Dodge of hijacking his own boat and attempts to relieve him of command. 'Stingray's crew, fed up with Pascal's berating and harassment, refuse to support his action, and Dodge charges Pascal with attempted mutiny. On deck, wearing makeshift buccaneer outfits and speaking like pirates, the crew and Lake look on as Dodge commits a mock execution by blindfolding Pascal to and make him walk the plank into the raised net of a waiting fishing trawler that will take him ashore.
Graham, hellbent on stopping Dodge, assumes command of the attack submarine USS 'Orlando'. Dodge employs an incredibly dangerous maneuver: passing 'Stingray' between the huge propellers of a commercial supertanker to avoid sonar detection by the naval ships and aircraft protecting the approach to Norfolk. 'Orlando' eventually locates and chases down the 'Stingray'. By the time his boat is targeted, Dodge has fired two live torpedoes at into a target ship anchored in Norfolk harbor, thereby winning the war game.
Returning to port, Graham is chastised by Admiral Winslow for attempting to undermine Dodge's success. Winslow also denies Graham's promotion. He informs Dodge that he will now be given the command of a new , along with a proper crew to man her. Dodge respectfully requests that his entire 'Stingray' crew be transferred with him. Winslow agrees and reveals that crewman Stepanak is his rebellous son. Dodge dismisses his crew to begin a well-earned shore leave. As Dodge and Lake leave the dock, she casually asks him "What is this tattoo I keep hearing about?"
Cast
* Kelsey Grammer as Lieutenant Commander Tom Dodge, Commanding Officer, USS 'Stingray'
* Lauren Holly as Lieutenant Emily Lake, Diving Officer
* Rob Schneider as Lieutenant Marty Pascal, Executive Officer
* Harry Dean Stanton as Howard, Chief Engineer of 'Stingray'
* Rip Torn as Vice Admiral Dean Winslow, Commander, Submarine Force, US Navy Atlantic Fleet (ComSubLant)
* Bruce Dern as Rear Admiral Yancy Graham, Blue Team leader of the war game
* William H. Macy as Commander Carl Knox, Commanding Officer USS 'Orlando'
* Ken Hudson Campbell as Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Buckman, 'Stingray's Cook
* Toby Huss as Electrician's Mate Mike Nitro, Electrician of USS 'Stingray'
* Duane Martin as Seaman 1st Class Jefferson 'Stoneball' Jackson, Planesman
* Jonathan Penner as Seaman Stanley 'Spots' Sylvesterson, Helmsman
* Bradford Tatum as Engineman 1st Class Brad Stepanak, 'Stingray's' leading engineman and Admiral Winslow's son
* Harland Williams as Sonarman 2nd Class E.T. 'Sonar' Lovacelli, Sonar Technician
* Patton Oswalt as 'Stingray' Radioman
Production notes
The name of the film is a play on the title of the 1959 World War II drama 'Up Periscope' and spoofs several titles in the submarine film subgenre, including the Cold War drama 'The Hunt for Red October'.Chapman, James. 'War and Film'. Reaktion Books, 2008, p. 229.
'Down Periscope' began shooting on May 6, 1995, and finished on July 27.TCM [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=443012&category=Misc Notes Misc. Notes]
, a 'Balao'-class submarine from World War II, now a museum ship and memorial in San Francisco, played the part of USS 'Stingray'. The nearby Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet stood in for Naval Station Norfolk.
The film makes use of both standard US Navy stock footage and scenes shot specifically for the film. The target ship that is torpedoed and sunk, ending the film's war game, is both naval stock footage of the and a prop shooting miniature. 'Fletcher' was one of the most decorated ships in US Navy history. Over the closing credits, a music video is shown of the Village People and the film's cast performing "In the Navy" aboard 'Stingray'.
Release
'Down Periscope' had its US theatrical release on March 1, 1996. The film grossed $25,785,603 domestically and $37,553,752 worldwide. The film was released on home video five months later, on August 6, 1996.
Reception
On the review aggregator website 'Rotten Tomatoes', the film has a score of 11% from 35 reviews, with an average rating 4.1/10. The site's consensus states: "'Down Periscope' takes audiences on an aimless voyage for aquatic hijinks, proving there really aren't any effective sub-stitutes for a well-written script." On Metacritic, the film receive a score of 39 based on 18 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".
'Variety' wrote, "The makers of 'Police Academy' and 'Major League' team up to take on the submarine corps [...] and the result is a testosterone comedy thats crude fun, with a pinch of corn-pone morality. Its good-natured, innocuous frivolity that should raise a few smiles..." However, Stephen Holden of 'The New York Times' felt, "The tone of the acting, which is set by Mr. Grammer's blandly laid-back performance, is all wrong for a genre that demands over-the-top hamming". Holden also wrote that the film does manage to provide "a couple of amusing bits", but "The energy level of 'Down Periscope' is so low that moments like these, which should flare hilariously, reach a wan flicker".
See also
* 'Operation Petticoat' (1959)
References
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